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{{Short description|Vanara king and Rama's companion in Ramayana }}
{{more footnotes needed|date=April 2020}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=January 2016}}
{{Infobox character
| image = Sugriva_Ramayana.jpg
| series = [[Ramayana]]
| relatives = [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] (brother), [[Hanuman]] (uncle) and [[Angada]] (nephew)
| caption = Sugriva
| title = 
| family = [[Surya]] (spiritual father), [[Aruni]] (Riksharaja)(mother)
| spouses = [[Rumā]]
| home = [[Kishkindha]]
| race = [[Vanara]]
}}

'''Sugriva''' ({{langx|sa|सुग्रीव|lit=beautiful necked}}, {{IAST3|Sugrīva}}), is a character In the ancient Hindu epic [[Ramayana]]. He is the younger brother of [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]], whom he succeeded as ruler of the [[vanara]] kingdom of [[Kishkindha]].<ref name="Ambedkar1979">{{cite book|author=Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar|title=Dr. Babasaheb Ambedkar, Writings, and Speeches: Riddles in Hinduism|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rJX2d-c4oaYC&q=sugriva+vali+kishkindha|year=1979|publisher=Education Department, Government of Maharashtra}}</ref> He is a son of [[Surya]], the Hindu deity of the sun. As the king of the vanaras, Sugriva aided [[Rama]] in his quest to liberate his wife [[Sita]] from captivity at the hands of the [[rakshasa]] king [[Ravana]].

== Nomenclature ==
He is also known as {{langx|km|Sukhreeb}}, {{langx|lo|Sugeep}}, {{langx|lo|Sangkip}}, {{langx|jv|Sugriwa}}, {{langx|th|Su-khrip}},  [[Creole language|Creole]]: Soogrim,  {{langx|te|Sugrīwũdu}}, {{langx|ta|Sukkrivan}}, {{langx|my|Thugyeip}}, Sugreeva or Sugreev. Malayalam:Sugreevan.

==Legend==

The story of Sugriva is part of [[Ramayana]] and in an abbreviated version, is also present in the [[Mahabharata]].

The king of Kishkindha, Vriksharaja, was a divine creature born from Brahma's tilaka. He had the body of a human and face and tail of a monkey. He was instructed to roam the forests and kill demons. One day, Vriksharaja entered an enchanted pond, and was transformed into a beautiful lady, attracting the attention of both Indra and Surya. Soon after, they each sired Vali and Sugriva respectively. Vali and Sugriva were born having brute strength, equal to Indra and Surya.

According to a legend from the [[Kathasaritsagara]],  [[Aruṇa]], the charioteer of [[Surya]], travelled to [[Svarga|Devaloka]] to see the dance of the [[apsara]]s. Since men were not allowed to observe the event, Aruna assumed the feminine form of Arunidevi. Observing the beautiful form of Arunidevi, [[Indra]] grew infatuated with her, and a child was soon born to them. On the advice of Indra, Arunidevi took the child to [[Ahalya]], leaving it there before the dawn to be brought up by her. This child became Vali. Aruna reported this incident to Surya, who wished to see his female form of Arunidevi as well. Becoming besotted with her, Surya sired a son from her. The child, Sugriva, would also be raised under the care of Ahalya.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Parmeshwaranand |first=Swami |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=6F0ZIBIL2ZAC&dq=arunidevi&pg=PA36 |title=Encyclopaedic Dictionary of Puranas |date=2001 |publisher=Sarup & Sons |isbn=978-81-7625-226-3 |pages=36 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Quarrel between brothers ===
[[File:Rama Meets Sugreeva.jpg|thumb|250px|right|Rama meets Sugriva.]]

[[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] ruled the kingdom of [[Kishkindha]]; his subjects were the [[vanaras]]. [[Tara (Ramayana)|Tara]] is his wife. Angada is his son. His son left his house at a very young age and later became a follower of [[Vaishnavism]]. A raging demon by the name of Mayavi came to the gates of the capital and challenged Vali to a fight. Vali accepted the challenge, but when he sallied forth, the demon fled in terror into a deep cave. Vali entered the cave in pursuit of the demon, telling Sugriva to wait outside. When Vali did not return and upon hearing demonic shouts in the cave and seeing blood streaming from its mouth, Sugriva concluded that his brother had been slain. With a heavy heart, Sugriva rolled a boulder to seal the cave's opening so as to lock the demon in, returned to Kishkindha, and assumed kingship over the vanaras, taking his wife back from Vali as his queen. Vali, however, ultimately prevailed in his combat with the demon and returned home. Seeing Sugriva acting as king, he concluded that his brother had betrayed him. Though Sugriva humbly attempted to explain himself, Vali would not listen and exiled Sugriva from the kingdom. To exact his vengeance, Vali forcibly took Sugriva's wife [[Rumā]] for his own, and the brothers became bitter enemies.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 9–10.</ref> Sugriva went on to live upon the mountain Rishyamukh,  the only place on earth that Vali could not tread on. Vali had been previously cursed by Sage Mathanga to be unable to lay a foot on this mountain on pain of death.

===Sugriva makes an alliance===

[[File:Rama and Lakshmana Meet Sugriva at Matanga’s Hermitage.jpg|thumb|250px|left|Rama and Lakshmana meet Sugriva at Matanga's hermitage.]]

In exile, Sugriva made the acquaintance of [[Rama]], the [[avatar]] of [[Vishnu]], who is on a quest to rescue his wife [[Sita]] from the demon [[Ravana]], king of the [[rakshasas]]. Rama promised Sugriva that he would kill Vali and would reinstate Sugriva as the king of the vanaras. Sugriva, in turn, promised to help Rama with his quest.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 8, 10; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.</ref>

===The death of Vali===
[[File:Vali and Sugriva Fighting 1.jpg|thumb|Sugriva fighting his powerful brother King Vali]]
[[File:Killing of Vali Monkey.jpg|thumb|250px|The assassination of Vali]]

Together, Sugriva and Rama went to seek out Vali. While Rama stood back, Sugriva shouted a challenge and dared him to battle. The brothers rushed at each other, fighting with trees and stones, with fists, nails, and teeth. They were evenly matched and indistinguishable to the observer, until Sugriva's counselor [[Hanuman]], stepped forward and placed a garland of flowers around Sugriva's neck. It is then that Rama emerged with his bow and drove an arrow through Vali's heart.<ref>{{Cite book |last=Richman |first=Paula |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7RW6MrAiJ-0C&dq=rama+kills+vali&pg=PA278 |title=Questioning Ramayanas: A South Asian Tradition |date=2001 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-22074-4 |pages=278 |language=en}}</ref> After Vali's death, Sugriva reclaimed the vanara kingdom, took back his first wife, [[Rumā]], who became his queen. Vali's son Angada, became the crown prince.<ref>Ramayana of Valmiki, Book IV, Canto 11 ff.; Mahabharata, Book III: Varna Parva, Section 278.</ref>

==Sugriva as king==
[[File:Arrival of monkey gaja, gavayu, generals before sugriva the monkey general doing the task of conducting a search of sita.png|thumb|Arrival of monkey Gaja, Gavayu, generals]]

After the death of Vali he became king of Kishkinda by the wishes of Rama. He helped Rama to fight Ravana in the war of Lanka. He sent the Vanara Warriors to four sides of earth to search for kidnapped sita. For that he ordered all vanaras on the earth should gather in kishkinda. Many vanara chiefs came with their armies. The search team consisted of his elite warriors nephew Angada, Hanuman, Bhalluka Jambavan and other returned with good news that Sita is in Ravana Lanka. 

=== War against Ravana ===
[[File:Sugriva gains his freedom by his sudden mutilation of Kumbhakarna.jpg|left|thumb|Sugriva gains his freedom by his sudden mutilation of Kumbhakarna.]]

After that Sugriva personally commanded his vanara army for Rama to relieve Sita who was being help captive by [[Ravana]]. Upon reaching Lanka, Sugriva lost his patience on seeing Ravana and an enraged Sugriva attacked Ravana all alone and had a fight with Ravana almost knocking him down but later had to flee when Ravana gained an upper hand in the duel.
Sugriva killed [[Kumbhakarna]]’s son [[Kumbha]] in a fierce duel. He was also imprisoned by Kumbhakarna but Sugriva tricked him and escaped.
In a fight against Ravana, he was almost killed but got rescued by [[Jambavan]]. Later, Rama killed Ravana and the war was won by Sugriva’s Vanaras and accompanied Rama to [[Ayodhya]].

=== Duel with Lava and Kusha ===
On [[Lakshmana]]'s request and after Guru [[Vasistha]]'s approval, [[Rama]] plans to do [[Ashvamedha]] yajna. At this auspicious occasion he calls Sugriva along with [[Angada]], Nala, Nila, [[Jambavantha]] and [[Hanuman]] to come to [[Ayodhya (Ramayana)|Ayodhya]]. Rama greets and hugs Sugriva, Jambavantha and others on their arrival to Ayodhya.

The yajna horse is captured by [[Lava (Ramayana)|Lava]] and [[Kusha (Ramayana)|Kusha]] brothers. In the Rama's army the news spreads that two muni kumara's has captured the Yagya's horse. Shatrughana walks and fights with Lava and he is defeated by Lava. Then Lakshamana comes and he is also defeated by Lava due to the fact that he was holding back. Then [[Bharata (Ramayana)|Bharata]] asks Rama to give him the permission to go to set horse free from both muni Kumara. Sugriva and Hanuman also request Rama to permit them to go along with Bharata in the battle. Lava and Kusha defeat Bharata and Sugriva and took Hanuman as a prisoner. Hanuman is the only one who knew that Lava and Kusha were sons of his master Rama & Sita and thus allowed himself to be imprisoned by his master's sons.<ref>Valmiki Ramayana</ref>

=== Retirement ===
When Rama decided to depart from the world and took ''[[samadhi]]'' in the [[Sarayu River (Ayodhya)|Sarayu river]], Sugriva also retired from earth and went with his father [[Surya]]. He crowned his nephew Angada as the next king of Kishkindha.

==Jainism==
{{main|Rama in Jainism}}
According to [[Jain texts]], Sugriva is a human being and he took [[Jain monasticism|Jain Diksha]] and attained [[Moksha (Jainism)|Moksha]] from [[Mangi-Tungi]].<ref>{{cite web|url=http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|title=Mangi Tungi Temple|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131001202528/http://nashik.nic.in/htmldocs/touristplaces.htm|archive-date=1 October 2013|df=dmy-all}}</ref>

==Depictions==
{{unreferenced section|date=April 2020}}
[[File:Stone bas relief at Banteay Srei in Cambodia from front.jpg|thumb|250px|This [[tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] from the Khmer temple of [[Banteay Srei]] depicts Sugriva fighting with his brother Vali. To the right, Rama is poised to shoot an arrow at Vali.]]

* The combat of Sugriva with his brother [[Vali (Ramayana)|Vali]] is a favorite motif of the [[Khmer people|Khmer]] sculptors contributing to the [[Architecture of Cambodia|Angkorian temples and monuments]] near [[Siem Reap]] in [[Cambodia]].
* A detailed and moving [[tympanum (architecture)|tympanum]] at the 10th century [[Hindu]] temple of [[Banteay Srei]] depicts the combat of the brothers, as well as Rama's intervention and Vali's death in the arms of another vanara.
* A [[bas-relief]] at the 12th-century temple of [[Angkor Wat]] shows the fight between the brothers, arrival of Rama and Vali lying on his death-bed, mourned by many other vanaras.  Another scene shows Sugriva and Rama entering into their alliance. A large bas-relief depicts the Battle of [[Lanka]] between Rama and Sugriva's army of vanaras and [[Ravana]]'s army of [[Rakshasas]].
* The fight between Vali and Sugriva is also represented at the lesser-known 13th century Angkorian temple of [[Preah Pithu]].

==References==
{{Reflist}}
{{reflist|group=note}}

==Further reading==
*Anna Dhallapiccola, ''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend''. ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}})
* [[Valmiki Ramayana]], ''Ramayana written by Maharshi Valmiki''.

==External links==
{{Commons category|Sugriva}}
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/rama The Ramayana] of Valmiki, online version, English translation by [[Ralph T. H. Griffith]].
* [http://www.sacred-texts.com/hin/maha/index.htm The Mahabharata] of Vyasa, online version, English translation by Kisari Mohan Ganguli.
* [https://archive.today/20070929094537/http://angkorblog.com/_wsn/page2.html Photos of the tympanum at Banteay Srei] in Cambodia depicting Sugriva's combat with Vali and Rama's intervention.

{{Ramayana}}

[[Category:Vanara in the Ramayana]]
[[Category:Animals in religion]]
[[Category:Children of Surya]]